Brad Hodge has not delivered the weight of runs that Lancashire envisaged when they lured him from Leicestershire at the end of the 2004 season, for a variety of reasons including a hernia operation and his unpredictable relationship with the Australian selectors. If he converts an unbeaten 82 into a potentially match-winning major score today, he will go a long way towards making amends.

In the context of an attritional struggle between two of the First Division's heavyweights, this has already been Hodge's most important contribution for the county. Surprisingly, he had only passed 50 twice in 12 previous championship innings, and in this low-scoring match no other batsman has managed more than 53.

It is only his second championship match of the season after he delayed his arrival to stay in Melbourne with his wife for the birth of their first child and his recent selection as vice-captain of the Australia A team means he can only play in three more before heading home again. From his arrival, with Lancashire solidly placed at 115 for two after half-centuries from Iain Sutcliffe and Mal Loye, it was obvious that Hodge was determined give value for money. "It's pretty much a pain in the arse," the 31-year-old said of his imminent departure on A duty followed by a training camp for the full Australia side. "I don't know what we'll be doing, climbing up trees or something and trying to find our inspiration for the Ashes. I'd rather be here playing cricket, but I've got no choice."

With the exception of a straight six off Graeme Swann there was nothing overly flashy about his batting, as the discipline of the Notts seamers on a slow pitch meant few opportunities for his punishing cuts and pulls. But after losing Loye for 53 and Stuart Law for a duck in consecutive overs, he dug in with Luke Sutton and Glen Chapple to lead a substantial recovery from 126 for four.

Loye, Law and Sutcliffe were all caught behind by Chris Read, with Law's dismissal the highlight of a typically tidy display behind the stumps standing up to Mark Ealham's medium pace.

That gave Ealham three of the first four wickets, including an lbw decision against Lancashire's captain Mark Chilton before Sutcliffe's indeterminate steer after his first 50 of the year. Andrew Harris had Loye caught behind for 53, and Greg Smith nipped one back to trap Sutton lbw. However after bowling one more ball, a bouncer at Chapple, the South African left-armer pulled up and hobbled off.

Earlier Notts had scrambled to a second batting point, a decent effort from 179 for seven, with handy contributions from Swann and Smith after Tom Smith had Ealham edging to second slip for 33 - an overdue first wicket for the young seamer.